1.3 Policies, Procedures, Programs & Funding
Candidates research, recommend, and implement policies, procedures, programs and funding strategies to support implementation of the shared vision represented in the school, district, state, and federal technology plans and guidelines. Funding strategies may include the development, submission, and evaluation of formal grant proposals. (PSC 1.3/ISTE 1c)
Artifact: Technology Action Plan
Reflection:
This artifact was created in the course ITEC7410, Instructional Technology Leadership. During this course, I gained perspective and experience implementing policies and procedures that would support the vision at my school. I created a one-year action and evaluation plan for implementing the shared vision at my school. Included in this plan were three goals that would help support the shared vision. The goals focused on skilled teachers, technology use for instruction, and technology access within the school.
This plan was the final aspect to the larger-scale technology plan. It put action into place after I created a shared vision and assessed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relating to technology in my school. I researched how technology should be appropriately used within classrooms and methodically planned an implementation process for new technology devices within my school. The S.W.O.T. analysis determined that students had access to computers to facilitate their learning during the school day. To guide learning in the 21st Century, it was determined that teachers should empower student learning and achievement by utilizing tablet devices during instruction. The one-year action plan aimed to increase teacher skill by training teachers on 21st Century, innovative approaches to education where students use technology to increase levels of thinking and learning. The artifact included aspects for technology implementation including goals, success indicators, evaluation, and strategies for facilitation, timeline expectations, budget funding, and people responsible.
While creating this artifact, I developed an increase in knowledge about proper implementation methods of technology within a school setting through diligent research and was able to share this information with my coworkers through the action plan. The research performed indefinitely helped the school as a whole, as it allowed me to become familiar with the implementation process for policies and procedures deemed necessary. Educational leaders at my school collectively collaborated to anticipate increased student access to handheld electronic tablet devices, where students utilized the devices for interactive learning. In order to have this vision turn into a reality, teachers and policy makers worked together to ensure that actions were taken to incorporate technology into the school-level strategic plan. In this action plan, I recommended that the school revise the group of teachers referred to as the “Technology Key Team”. I suggested transforming this team into a specific Technology Team, composed of all interested staff members as opposed to one per grade level. I suggested making this team into a committee that focused on student engagement and teacher competency utilizing technology. I based these recommendations off of research from the SWOT Analysis, which suggested that the school wide technology use should be addressed in a different manner that included opportunities for students to facilitate and drive their own learning, both cooperatively and independently. This team was suggested provide the necessary training and professional development to help the staff provide 21st Century learning opportunities for students. Policies, procedures, and programs would be changed as a direct result of this research and suggestion. The actual implementation of the action plan took place the following school year, and modifications were made to the original plan to fit the staff members’ needs. The funding strategies I suggested to fund iPads purchased iPad carts for grade levels k-2 and grades 3-5. This first phase of introduction helped increase access of technology at the school. The shared vision was slowly becoming a reality at my school as a direct result of the action plan I created.
I learned a great deal from researching, recommending, and implementing this artifact. It impacted both my professional practice and that of the educators that I collaborated with. I was able to research effective strategies and recommend policies and programs at the school to increase student learning and teacher competency. This helped me to grow as a technology leader and facilitator, because I learned that that individual must possess specific knowledge, skills, and dispositions in order to be effective in their implementations. A technology leader must collaborate with stakeholders at a school to plan and create a technology-infused strategic plan. They must effectively be able research in order to find procedures, programs, and funding opportunities that will help in the implementation of the technology plan’s shared vision. Additionally, the leader should have the skills to make recommendations that will help the school meet the outlined vision. If I were to complete the assignment again, I would ensure that students and teachers were knowledgeable and comfortable with integrating technology into curriculum. I would have added an increased emphasis on teacher training to utilize the devices that the school sought out. I would not have yet worried about training teachers to utilize the actual devices. This would have promoted correct use and not given the teachers any room to feel overwhelmed with new policies, procedures, and programs.
The work that went into the field experience directly impacted school improvement and therefore student learning. By analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of technology use in the school, I was able to implement a plan of action to increase student success. Teachers were able to collaborate on a new team to encourage policies, procedures, and funding for technology integration. This information was integrated into the overall School Strategic Plan, which directly impacts school improvement. If teachers are using the training, policies, and programs to improve their technology practices, student learning is directly impacted. To assess this impact, school performance indicators can be analyzed.
This artifact was created in the course ITEC7410, Instructional Technology Leadership. During this course, I gained perspective and experience implementing policies and procedures that would support the vision at my school. I created a one-year action and evaluation plan for implementing the shared vision at my school. Included in this plan were three goals that would help support the shared vision. The goals focused on skilled teachers, technology use for instruction, and technology access within the school.
This plan was the final aspect to the larger-scale technology plan. It put action into place after I created a shared vision and assessed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relating to technology in my school. I researched how technology should be appropriately used within classrooms and methodically planned an implementation process for new technology devices within my school. The S.W.O.T. analysis determined that students had access to computers to facilitate their learning during the school day. To guide learning in the 21st Century, it was determined that teachers should empower student learning and achievement by utilizing tablet devices during instruction. The one-year action plan aimed to increase teacher skill by training teachers on 21st Century, innovative approaches to education where students use technology to increase levels of thinking and learning. The artifact included aspects for technology implementation including goals, success indicators, evaluation, and strategies for facilitation, timeline expectations, budget funding, and people responsible.
While creating this artifact, I developed an increase in knowledge about proper implementation methods of technology within a school setting through diligent research and was able to share this information with my coworkers through the action plan. The research performed indefinitely helped the school as a whole, as it allowed me to become familiar with the implementation process for policies and procedures deemed necessary. Educational leaders at my school collectively collaborated to anticipate increased student access to handheld electronic tablet devices, where students utilized the devices for interactive learning. In order to have this vision turn into a reality, teachers and policy makers worked together to ensure that actions were taken to incorporate technology into the school-level strategic plan. In this action plan, I recommended that the school revise the group of teachers referred to as the “Technology Key Team”. I suggested transforming this team into a specific Technology Team, composed of all interested staff members as opposed to one per grade level. I suggested making this team into a committee that focused on student engagement and teacher competency utilizing technology. I based these recommendations off of research from the SWOT Analysis, which suggested that the school wide technology use should be addressed in a different manner that included opportunities for students to facilitate and drive their own learning, both cooperatively and independently. This team was suggested provide the necessary training and professional development to help the staff provide 21st Century learning opportunities for students. Policies, procedures, and programs would be changed as a direct result of this research and suggestion. The actual implementation of the action plan took place the following school year, and modifications were made to the original plan to fit the staff members’ needs. The funding strategies I suggested to fund iPads purchased iPad carts for grade levels k-2 and grades 3-5. This first phase of introduction helped increase access of technology at the school. The shared vision was slowly becoming a reality at my school as a direct result of the action plan I created.
I learned a great deal from researching, recommending, and implementing this artifact. It impacted both my professional practice and that of the educators that I collaborated with. I was able to research effective strategies and recommend policies and programs at the school to increase student learning and teacher competency. This helped me to grow as a technology leader and facilitator, because I learned that that individual must possess specific knowledge, skills, and dispositions in order to be effective in their implementations. A technology leader must collaborate with stakeholders at a school to plan and create a technology-infused strategic plan. They must effectively be able research in order to find procedures, programs, and funding opportunities that will help in the implementation of the technology plan’s shared vision. Additionally, the leader should have the skills to make recommendations that will help the school meet the outlined vision. If I were to complete the assignment again, I would ensure that students and teachers were knowledgeable and comfortable with integrating technology into curriculum. I would have added an increased emphasis on teacher training to utilize the devices that the school sought out. I would not have yet worried about training teachers to utilize the actual devices. This would have promoted correct use and not given the teachers any room to feel overwhelmed with new policies, procedures, and programs.
The work that went into the field experience directly impacted school improvement and therefore student learning. By analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of technology use in the school, I was able to implement a plan of action to increase student success. Teachers were able to collaborate on a new team to encourage policies, procedures, and funding for technology integration. This information was integrated into the overall School Strategic Plan, which directly impacts school improvement. If teachers are using the training, policies, and programs to improve their technology practices, student learning is directly impacted. To assess this impact, school performance indicators can be analyzed.